


My Father's Keeper

by Vashti (tvashti)



Series: My Father's Child [5]
Category: Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Incredible Hulk (2008)
Genre: Adoption, Community: twistedshorts, Father-Daughter Relationship, Fatherhood, Gen, Pre-Series, Protectiveness, Sisters
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-14
Updated: 2017-10-14
Packaged: 2019-01-17 08:26:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 503
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12361641
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tvashti/pseuds/Vashti
Summary: The signing of the SGA never happened, but since they all remember it exactly this way it may as well have.





	My Father's Keeper

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the 2017 Twisted Shorts ficathon. Set before both The Hulk and BtVS.

Bruce laughed. "Buffy, sweetheart, this isn't really necessary, I promise."

His laughter quickly died in the face of her fierce resolve -- and the fear that it overlaid. Buffy narrowed her eyes at him. "We, like, just got you back. No way we're letting some skank-ho -- don't repeat that in front of Mom and Dad, Dawnie--"

"’Kay!" the eight-year-old chirped.

"-- take you away from us. None of that Baroness Schraeder, 'Let's send the little beasties to boarding school--'"

"Buffy, sweetheart, I couldn't send you and Dawn to boarding school even if I wanted to, and I would never want to. I'm not your legal parent."

"Bio-dad!" Dawn cheered, arms up in the air.

"And I'm not even that for Dawnie."

"Honorary Bio-dad!"

Buffy shot her little sister a look that said she was Not Amused by this extended nterruption. Accordingly, she went on as if neither Bruce nor Dawn had spoken: "--shenanigans no matter how awesome Mizz Baroness dresses for a ball."

"Lab rats don't get invited to many balls, sweetheart."

"And we are most definitely not letting some dog-faced, two-timer break your heart again. Like, no way."

Dawn's little face became serious. "Not ever."

"Oh girls…" Bruce felt his chest tighten.  "What did I ever do to get such good girls?"

Buffy's face immediately twisted in disgust. "Like, ew? We just covered that in health, like, last week? Um…can we not again? Like, please?"

"What? What did you do in Health? I want to know!" Dawn protested. "Buffy, tell me!" When the twelve-year-old wouldn't budge, Dawn appealed to a higher authority. "Bruuuuuce! Tell Buffy to tell me what she learned in health and what that has to do with us being your awesome girls!"

Laughing, Bruce declared, "When you're older, Dawnie."

"'When you're older, Dawnie! When you're older, Dawnie!' At this rate I won't ever be older!"

Bruce and Buffy both laughed, although Bruce tried to smother his.  

"Now wh--" Then she got it. Dawn scowled. "You know what I mean!"

Bruce pulled her close and pressed a kiss to her hair. "You're already growing up too fast for me. You and Buffy, both."

Buffy preened, until she remembered why they were there. "Don't think you're off the hook just because you hand out totally awesome and completely true compliments."

"Never," Bruce said. "You're far too smart to be swayed by what some guy says to you, right?"

"Right!" She flashed him her biggest smile.

Bruce turned looked down at his honorary daughter, still curled up in his arms. "Right, Dawnie?"

"Of course! Boys are dweebs anyway."

"And don't you forget it!" Bruce said before pressing another kiss into her hair. 

"Okay," he said as he repositioned Dawn so that she was leaning against his side. When he reached out, Buffy all but flew to his other side and pressed in close as Bruce kissed her forehead. 

"Now," he said, "let's work out the terms of the Sixth Grade Accords before your dad decides he wants his study back."

[in]Fin[ite]


End file.
